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Business phrases
some phrases used in conversations in the business world.
Question | Answer |
---|---|
9 to 5 job | to have a routine job |
collaborate on | to work together with someone on something |
start from scratch | to restart from the beginning |
set a deadline | to set a finish date for a task |
give the green light | to approve a project |
be behind schedule | not to meet a deadline |
be ahead of schedule | earlier than planned |
catch up | to complete something you should have done earlier |
stay on budget | to spend the money you originally planned for |
go over budget | to spend more than you had originally planned for. e.g. I'm afraid we may need to go over budget! |
sign off on something | to approve something |
be ahead of the curve | faster about doing something than other people |
a ballpark figure | a rough estimate |
kick off | start |
look at the big picture | to concentrate on the general ideas more than in the details |
play by the book | to follow the stablished rules |
call it a day | to finish what you are doing |
touch base with | to talk to someone for a short time about to find out what they think about something |
word of mouth | passing of information from person to person |
let go | fired |
back to square one | to go back to the beginning after a failed attempt. After a while, we decided we had to go back to square one. |
cut-throat | very intense, aggressive competition. The Obama care plan is a cut-throat business for insurers. |
easy come, easy go | something that is gained easily and lost easily as well. We have to be really cautious, this may be an easy-come, easy-go project. |
game plan | a strategy for achieving success. Let's figure out the game plan for this project. |
get down to business | to stop small talk and discuss business topics. Stop the abstractions and let's get down to business. |
get something off the ground | to start something. My dear team we definitely need to get the project off the ground. |
go the extra mile | to do more than expected. She's fantastic, she usually goes the extra mile. |
Hands are tight | not being free to behave the way you would like. We really would like to go through that, but our hands are tight. |
in a nutshell | using as few words as possible. In a nutshell, it would be great for us to work with you. |
in full swing | at a stage when the level of activity is the highest. Our medical centers' operations are in full swing. |
in the driver's seat | to be in charge |
keep one's eyes on the ball | to give something one's full attention |
learn the ropes | learn the basics |
long shot | something that has a low probability of happening |
no-brainer | something that is really easy to choose |
no strings attached | something given without demands |
not going to fly | something that isn't expected to work out |
on the same page | to be in agreement about something |
out in the open | something that is public knowledge and not secret anymore |
to raise the bar | to set expectations or standards higher |
rock the boat | To do or set something that will upset people or cause problems |
safe bet | something that is certain to happen |
to be in the same boat | to be in the same difficult situation as someone else |
to stand one's ground | to not change one's opinion or position |
talk someone into something | to convince someone to do something |
talk someone out of something | to convince someone not to do something |
to be up in the air | something that is undecided or uncertain |
a drop in the ocean | a very small part of insignificant amount of something big |
pull yourself together | calm down and act normally |
step up your game | start performing better |
straight to the point | directly |
hear (something) on the grapevine | learn about something informally |
to get the wrong end of the stick | To misinterpret / misunderstand something |
cannot make head not tail of (something/someone) | not being able to understand someone or something |
talk/be at cross purposes | misunderstand what others are trying to do/referring to |
beat abound/around the bush | to avoid answering a question/commenting on an uncomfortable issue |
straight from the horse's mouth | directly from the source |
talking to a brick wall | talking to someone who does not listen |
keep someone in the loop | provide someone with enough information |
to be on the same wavelength | to agree or to share the same interests |
to go back to the drawing board | to start again from the beginning with a new idea |
to cut corners | to do something without paying much attention to detail |
drill down into | to explore something in depth |
as of yet | at the moment |
to cut to the chase | get to the point without wasting time |
to get the ball rolling | get started |
to streamline something | to simplify a process |
to expedite | to speed-up |
down the line | in the future |
pull strings | to use one's influence |